Josh's Bio

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I LOVE these skis. Float like a dream on powder days (lucked out with some deep days at Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, and Jackson Hole this year). I have had no difficulty carving on the groomers or busting through Cascade Concrete. Have Marker Duke bindings, and the skis performed well on a day tour on Mt Rainier (although, I will admit they are a bit heavy for that purpose). 6'1" 170lbs ski on the 185cm.

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

Have taken it out in a couple different conditions now. Performed well in light Olympic Forest drizzle, Appalachian cold, and Eastern WA heat. It definitely is a smaller tent (I'm 6'1" and my wife is 5'9"), but still felt comfortable sleeping together. Bought an REI footprint, which works well, so cannot comment on what having no footprint would be like. As expected, it is very light and compact; packs up very nicely into just about any backpack.

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

Fit:
True to size

Feels great during long cases in the OR. I have pretty flat feet, so there was some initial adjusting to the level of arch support in the shoe. Only complaint is that they seem to accumulate a bit of a smell. Otherwise, great shoe and blood cleans off easily (I suppose other stuff would clean off easily too :) ). Typically wear an 11.5US men's shoe, and went with a 45.0 here. Good fit with a little extra room, which is how I think these shoes are designed to be worn.

I'm normally a 12 US street shoe and went with a 46.0 on these. They fit nicely (I like a little extra space in my shoe than most probably). The shoes feel sturdy on the trail with solid soles, but not overly heavy or bulky. They also breathe reasonably well (even in San Antonio heat). Overall, I'd recommend 'em.

These gloves are really great. Excellent dexterity and durability (so far). They definitely keep your hands dry and have good breathability. I've used them on some Spring skiing outings with temps into the upper 40s, with the liners removed--worked like a dream. However, on some of my colder outings, I found the gloves to be a little colder than my OR Alti gloves. It's tough to review gloves because everyone has different temperature preferences for their hands, but I can be reasonable confident in saying these gloves work for your typical ski day or early summer mountaineering, but I would not take these gloves in temps below about 10 degrees without some back up.

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Lightweight poles that collapse into a really tiny, easily packable size. I took them up for a day tour on Rainier last month, and they did their job just fine. Didn't experience any issues with the flicklock system, which was quick and easy to use. Only gripe is that they bent pretty significantly after I took a little tumble. I guess it's what you should expect from poles like these. Luckily Backcountry.com has an awesome return policy.

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

Does what it's advertised to do. Took it out on the AT last weekend, with temps dipping into the 20s. Worked great. Even had the added benefit of having enough room to cram my girlfriend in with me when her bag got too cold :). Can't complain about that.

I'm 6'1" 170lbs and the long length was plenty. Room to pack wet stuff at your feet if you have any. Not sure I'm crazy about the mummy cinching design, but then again, I rarely ever use that feature on other bags either.

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I really liked the initial feel and weight of these shoes, but after taking them out on some extended 10+ mile runs, I came back with some serious rub marks, blisters, and broken skin. I've tried different socks, different levels of lace tightness, etc without benefit. The biggest issue I had was with the top eyelet, which is strangely mobile and rubs like crazy...

Glad to see that others found the shoe comfortable, but sorry to say that I didn't. FYI I have very flat feet with some over pronation (not sure if that could be the cause of pain with this particular shoe or not).

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Just got the jacket and I'll update this once I've taken it out a few times, but I can comment on the fit. I'm 6'1" 170lbs and wear a size medium. There's plenty of room for layering (maybe even more than I expected), but like all arcteryx products the jacket is clearly well designed without excess bagginess or strange proportions. It's also pretty long, reaching 6 or so inches below my waist. I would like to see a powder-skirt (personal preference), but I do understand that there are pros and cons to that. I would also add that the jacket does seem a little stiff and "crinkly," probably unavoidable considering the bombproofedness of the materials.

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

These are the last hard shell bibs you'll ever need. I have a size medium (normally wear a 32x32 pant) and they fit perfectly down to the bend in my boot and have enough room for 2 layers underneath. I did rip a hole in them with my crampons... but that was more my fault than the pants'!

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

I guess the overall rating sums it up. It's a great piece that I use as a soft shell. It provides more warmth than I expected, but no complaints here since it still seems to breath well with moderate activity.

I'm 6'1" 170lbs and the medium fits well with enough room for a base layer and a light mid-weight if you really wanted to get toasty. I guess I agree with other reviewers' assessment that this jacket is an unusual mix between a soft shell and mid weight layer, but I don't see why that is such a negative. Also, the construction on mine is fantastic. All of the seams are clearly well stitched and the zippers are perfectly functional.

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

I hate giving 5 star reviews unless the product is top-notch, but I just couldn't find any flaws with this fleece. I've only used it for casual activities around town, but I'm incredibly impressed with the warmth and breathability of such a light piece. Feels great with just a shirt underneath on a 55 degree bike commute or just hanging out down the 30s. Without a doubt, it will work great for layering on warm ski days.

I'm 6'1" 170lbs and the medium fits great. Nice long sleeves and the length of the body works for long torsos. And as always, Arc'teryx nailed it by not including too much extra fabric around the gut!